Following last week’s publication of A-Level results, which featured some surprising new comers, here is the new ranking of London secondary schools based on 2017 GCSE results. Unbeatable St Paul’s Girls’ School is Number 1 (as always?), closely followed by Westminster School. NLCS, Habs and City are strong as always. The co-educational schools keep edging up, led by Latymer Upper and Alleyn’s. Wimbledon High and South Hampstead High gave had a very strong year again.
A very interesting trend is the very strong academic performance of London Day Schools compared to schools in the rest of the country. In 2017, all top 5 schools in the country are London day schools. Only 3 out of the top 10 are based outside of London (King Edward VI High School for Girls, Magdalen College School and Guildford High School). Magdalen College School in Oxford is the only boarding school in the top 10, all others are day schools.
| School | Type | Gender | % A* | % A*-A | |
| 1 | SPGS | private | Girls | 91% | 99% |
| 2 | Westminster | private | Boys | 87% | 98% |
| 3 | NLCS | private | Girls | 86% | 98% |
| 4 | King’s College Wimbledon | private | Boys | 83% | 96% |
| 5 | Godolphin & Latymer School | private | Girls | 82% | 97% |
| 6 | Henrietta Barnett School | state | Girls | 80% | 95% |
| 7 | City of London School for Girls | private | Girls | 79% | 96% |
| 8 | St Paul’s School | private | boys | 78% | 96% |
| 9 | South Hampstead High School (GDST) | private | Girls | 77% | 95% |
| 10 | Wimbledon High (GDST) | private | Girls | 74% | 93% |
| 11 | Hampton School | private | Boys | 73% | 93% |
| 12 | Lady Eleanor Holles | private | Girls | 71% | 95% |
| 13 | Habs Girls | private | Girls | 71% | 95% |
| 14 | Latymer Upper | private | co-ed | 70% | 91% |
| 15 | Queen Elizabeth School, Barnet | state | Boys | 70% | 91% |
| 16 | Habs | private | Boys | 69% | 91% |
| 17 | Tiffin Girls | state | Girls | 69% | 92% |
| 18 | City of London School | private | Boys | 69% | 89% |
| 19 | Alleyn’s, Dulwich | private | co-ed | 67% | 92% |
| 20 | Notting Hill & Ealing High (GDST) | private | Girls | 66% | 89% |
| 21 | JAGS, Dulwich | private | Girls | 65% | 93% |
| 22 | Highgate | private | Co-ed | 64% | 88% |
| 23 | UCS | private | Boys | 63% | 91% |
| 24 | Putney High School (GDST) | private | Girls | 61% | 93% |
| 25 | Channing School | private | Girls | 58% | 84% |